Semi-mobile desktop personal computer

ABSTRACT

A semi-mobile desktop personal computer incorporating the features of a desktop personal computer with the mobility of a mobile personal computer. The computer includes a system enclosure attached to a storage enclosure, the storage enclosure extends outside the system enclosure and provides stability for the system enclosure by engaging the surface on which the system enclosure has been placed for use.

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/133,874,filed Aug. 14, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,097,593.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to personal computers and moreparticularly to desktop personal computers. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As is well known to persons skilled in the art the desktop personalcomputer has a large form factor. The desktop personal computer includescomponents such as, a power supply, a microprocessor, memory, storagedrives such as, hard disk drives and removable media drives, and logicfor controlling standard peripherals such as, keyboards and mouse inputdevices.

The desktop personal computer also includes option card slots for one ormore of the personal computer's standard option cards, such as,Peripheral Component Interconnect (“PCI”), Enhanced Industry StandardArchitecture (“EISA”), and Industry Standard Architecture (“ISA”) cards.The PCI, EISA and ISA option cards can be; for example, display(monitor)controller cards, memory controller cards, or hard disk drive controllercards. The desktop personal computer's power supply also requires atransformer and because the power supply has heat-generating parts, afan can also be required.

Reconfiguring the desktop personal computer is not easy. Replacing,adding or removing a PCI, EISA, or ISA option card requires opening thedesktop personal computer. It is also necessary to open the desktoppersonal computer to replace a defective component, such as a powersupply or fan, or to remove, add or replace a storage drive.

The desktop personal computer can be required to be moved, for example;between offices, to a computer store for service or to a collegedormitory. The desktop personal computer can not be easily moved becauseit is bulky, heavy and has a large form factor.

Another disadvantage of the desktop personal computer is its largefootprint. The desktop personal computer's large footprint limits theworkspaces on which the desktop personal computer can be used.

The personal computer's components have been miniaturized in order toprovide lightweight, non-bulky, small form factor, mobile personalcomputers. Miniaturized components include the Personal Computer MemoryCard International Association (“PCMCIA”) option cards, also known as PCCards and storage devices. Unlike standard desktop personal computeroption cards such as, PCI, EISA and ISA option cards PC Cards are easilyadded, replaced or removed, without opening the mobile personalcomputer.

Although mobile personal computers have a smaller form factor, arelightweight and non-bulky and the option cards are easy to reconfigure,mobile computers lack some of the functionality of desktop personalcomputers, for example, mobile personal computers have a small number ofoption card slots. Also, because mobile personal computers can operatefrom a battery they are influenced by the requirement for low powerconsumption. To provide low power consumption, mobile personal computersuse low speed components, such as memory and microprocessors. Therefore,mobile personal computers can have lower-performance than desktoppersonal computers.

Mobile personal computers support standard personal computer peripheralssuch as, detached keyboards, mouse input devices and displays(monitors),but there is redundancy because mobile personal computers also haveintegrated peripherals such as keyboards, mouse input devices anddisplays.

Personal computer users requiring the functionality of a desktoppersonal computer and the mobility of a mobile personal computer requirea mobile personal computer and a desktop personal computer. Thedisadvantages of requiring a mobile personal computer and a desktoppersonal computer include the cost of the personal computers and havingto transfer data between the personal computers.

Therefore, what is required is an easily reconfigured semi-mobiledesktop personal computer, with the small form factor, small footprint,lightweight, non-bulky features of a mobile personal computer and thefunctionality of a desktop personal computer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of this invention is a lightweight, small form factor,non-bulky semi-mobile desktop personal computer.

Another object of this invention is a small footprint semi-mobiledesktop personal computer.

Still another object of this invention is an easily reconfigurablesemi-mobile desktop personal computer.

Yet another object of this invention is a visually pleasing semi-mobiledesktop personal computer.

These and other objects are attained by a semi-mobile desktop personalcomputer including an elongated thin system enclosure and a storageenclosure attached to the back wall of the system enclosure. The storageenclosure extends from the back wall outside the system enclosure andprovides stability to the computer by engaging the surface on which thesystem enclosure is placed.

The instant invention provides a number of advantages. For example, thesemi-mobile desktop personal computer is easy to move. The semi-mobiledesktop personal computer can be easily reconfigured by replacingstorage drives and option cards without having to remove any of thesemi-mobile desktop personal computer's walls. The semi-mobile desktoppersonal computer's vertical orientation provides a small footprint andthe small footprint optimizes limited workspace.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features and advantages of the present inventionwill become apparent from a reading of the detailed description inconjunction with the attached drawings, in which like reference numeralsrefer to like elements in the several views.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the front of the semi-mobiledesktop personal computer according to the principles of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the rear of the semi-mobile desktoppersonal computer shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is the exploded front view of the semi-mobile desktop personalcomputer shown in FIG. 1 showing an embodiment for connecting aremovable storage drive to the semi-mobile desktop personal computer'ssystem enclosure;

FIG. 3A is the side view of the exploded front view shown in FIG. 3showing the removable storage drive in mounted position in a storageenclosure attached to the back wall of the semi-mobile desktop personalcomputer;

FIG. 4 is the exploded rear view of the semi-mobile desktop personalcomputer shown in FIG. 2 showing an embodiment for connecting a harddisk drive enclosure to the semi-mobile desktop personal computer'ssystem enclosure;

FIG. 5 is the exploded rear view of the semi-mobile desktop personalcomputer shown in FIG. 2 with a first storage enclosure in mountedposition showing an embodiment for connecting a second storage enclosureto the semi-mobile desktop personal computer's system enclosure, wherethe second storage drive is-a hard disk drive enclosure;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an embodiment for connecting PC Cards tothe semi-mobile desktop personal computer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1 where there isshown a semi-mobile desktop personal computer 10, according to theprinciples of this invention. The semi-mobile desktop personal computer10 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 includes a system enclosure 12, astorage enclosure 14 and a hard disk drive enclosure 26.

The system enclosure 12 includes components such as, a processor,memory, controllers for standard personal computer peripherals such as,displays and input devices, and option card slots 18. The systemenclosure 12 does not include storage drives. The arrangement of thesemi-mobile desktop personal computer's 10 components in the systemenclosure's components provides an elongated thin system enclosure 12.

As shown in FIG. 1 the length 1 of the system enclosure 12 is influencedby the width w1 of the storage enclosure 14 or the hard disk driveenclosure 26, and the width w2 of the option card slot 18. The height hof the system enclosure 12 is influenced by the height of the optioncards that can be mounted in the system enclosure 12, for example, PCCards 54, as shown in FIG. 6, and other components, such as externalconnectors 34, as shown in FIG. 2.

Referring again to FIG. 1 the thickness t of the top and bottom walls ofthe system enclosure 12 is influenced by the number of internal logicboards 58 as shown in FIG. 5 that can be mounted in the system enclosure12. As shown in FIG. 1 the thickness t is also influenced by the numberof option card slots 18 and the spacing between the option card slots18, for example, the spacing between option card slots 18 for PC Cardsis influenced by the type of PC Card inserted, for example, Type I, TypeII or Type III PC Cards.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 the system enclosure's 12 componentsare oriented such that the length 1 of the system enclosure is greaterthan its thickness t providing a thin elongated system enclosure 12.This results in a small footprint system enclosure 12 in which the ratioof its length, width and height is such that when the system enclosure's12 bottom wall engages the surface on which it is placed for use, thesystem enclosure 12 can be unstable.

The storage enclosure 14 and the hard disk drive enclosure 26 areattached to the back wall of the system enclosure 12. The storageenclosure 14 provides stability to the semi-mobile desktop personalcomputer 10 by engaging the surface on which the semi-mobile desktoppersonal computer 10 is placed for use. In the embodiment shown thestorage enclosure 14 is a hollow receptacle into which a removable mediastorage drive such as a 5¼″ CDROM drive or a 5¼″ floppy disk drive canbe mounted. The hard disk drive enclosure 26 is located on top of thestorage enclosure 14. The hard disk drive enclosure 26 can include, forexample, a 3½″ hard disk drive. In the embodiment shown the storageenclosure 14 including the removable media drive provides stability tothe semi-mobile desktop personal computer 10. In other embodiments thehard disk drive enclosure 26 can provide stability to the semi-mobiledesktop personal computer 10.

A media device insertion slot 24 can be provided on the front wall ofthe system enclosure 12, for inserting media in the removable mediadrive 28 mounted in the storage enclosure 14.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 the front and back walls of the systemenclosure 12 are curved, so as to provide a curvilinear shapedsemi-mobile desktop personal computer 10. However, the semi-mobiledesktop personal computer 10 is not limited to the curvilinear shapeshown, the front and back walls of the system enclosure 12 can also beparallel to each other, so as to provide a rectangular semi-mobiledesktop personal computer 10.

The system enclosure 12 can also include speakers 16. In the embodimentshown the speakers 16 are separate removable components connected byhinges 20, such as pivot hinges to the system enclosure 12. The hinges20 allow the speakers 16 to be folded, for example, for ease in carryingthe semi-mobile desktop personal computer 10 or to decrease thesemi-mobile desktop personal computer's 10 footprint.

The semi-mobile desktop personal computer 10 can also include functionbuttons 22 as shown. The function buttons 22 are located on the top wallof the system enclosure 12, but they are not limited to the top wall.The function buttons 22 can be programmed to allow a user to accesscomputer functions such as, printing documents, checking e-mail messagesand or accessing a world wide web page when the function button 22 forthe computer function is hit.

The system enclosure 12 has a cable opening 30 located under the mediadrive insertion slot 24. Cables from peripheral devices, for example,keyboards can be inserted through the cable opening 30 for connecting tothe external connectors 34 on the back wall of the system unit 12.

Referring now to FIG. 2, as shown the embodiment has a handle 32 locatedon or about the horizontal center of the rear wall on one systemenclosure 12. The sculptured recessed pocket integral handle 32 providesa method for carrying the semi-mobile desktop personal computer 10, thelocation of the integral handle 32 is not limited to the horizontalcenter of the rear wall of the system enclosure 12.

The ability to add standard peripherals such as, monitors, modems,printers and keyboards and to provide power to the semi-mobile desktoppersonal computer 10 from an external power supply is provided throughthe external connectors 34 on the back wall of the system enclosure 12.The storage enclosure 14 and the hard disk drive enclosure 26 are shownextending from the back wall of the system enclosure 12. As shown, thestorage enclosure 14 engages the surface on which the system enclosure12 is placed for use.

FIG. 3 and FIG. 3A show an embodiment for mounting a removable mediadrive 28 in the storage enclosure 14. As shown in FIG. 3 the front wallof the system enclosure 12 has a removable media drive opening 40 forinserting the removable media drive 28 into the storage enclosure 14.FIG. 3A shows the removable media drive 28 in mounted position in thestorage enclosure 14. The storage enclosure 14 is attached to rear wallof the system enclosure 12 by connecting the top and bottom walls of thestorage enclosure 14 to the rear wall of the system enclosure 12. Thesystem enclosure 12 and the storage enclosure 14 can be integral or canbe separate enclosures.

The storage enclosure 14 includes a removable media drive cableconnector 44D and a removable media drive connector 36B, for providingcontrol signals and power signals to the removable media drive 28. Theremovable media drive cable connector 44D and the removable media driveconnector 36D are connected together, for example through etching in thestorage enclosure 14.

A removable media drive cable 42 is provided, the removable media drivecable 42 includes a removable media drive cable connector 44B located atone end of the cable and a removable media drive cable connector 44C,located at the other end. Removable media drive cable connector 44B isconnected to removable media drive cable connector 44A located on thelogic board 58 and removable media drive cable connector 44C isconnected to removable media drive cable connector 44D located insidethe storage enclosure 14.

The removable media drive 28 includes a removable media drive connector36A on one end of the removable media drive 28. The removable mediadrive 28 is inserted into the removable media drive opening 40 until theremovable media drive connector 36A is connected to the removable mediadrive connector 36B. With removable media drive connector 36A connectedto removable media drive connector 36B, the removable media drive 28 ismounted in storage enclosure 14 and the control and power signals fromthe removable media drive 28 are connected to the control and powersignals on the logic board 58.

As shown in FIG. 4 the storage enclosure 14 providing stability to thesystem enclosure 12 can be a hard disk drive enclosure 26. The hard diskdrive enclosure 26 includes a hard disk drive connector 38A and a harddisk drive. The hard disk drive connector 38B is mounted on the rearwall of the system enclosure 12. The hard disk drive enclosure 26 isfastened to the back wall of the system enclosure 12 when hard diskdrive connector 38A and hard disk drive connector 38B are connected.

FIG. 5 show s the storage enclosure 14 attached to the system enclosure12 and providing stability to the system enclosure 12 by engaging thesurface on which the system is enclosure 12 is placed for use. In theembodiment shown a hard disk drive enclosure 26 can be connected to thesystem enclosure 12. When mounted, the hard disk drive enclosure's 26bottom surface rests on the top surface of the storage enclosure 14 asshown in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 5 the system enclosure 12 includes ahard disk drive connector 38A located on the rear wall. The hard diskdrive connector 38A provides electrical signals to the hard disk driveenclosure 26.

A hard disk drive connector 38B is also located on the hard disk driveenclosure 26. The hard disk drive enclosure 26 is connected to thesystem enclosure 12 by connecting hard disk drive connector 38A and harddisk drive connector 38B. The semi-mobile desktop personal computer 10can be easily reconfigured by replacing the removable media drives inthe storage enclosure 14 and the hard disk drive enclosure 28 withoutopening the system enclosure 12.

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment for connecting a PC Card 54 to thesemi-mobile desktop personal computer 10 through option card slots 18located on the top wall of the system enclosure 12. The PC Card 54 isthe type of option card shown in the embodiment in FIG. 5, but it othertypes of option cards with similar features to the PC Card 58 can alsobe used.

As shown, the semi-mobile desktop personal computer 10 includes a logicboard 58 mounted vertically inside the system enclosure 12. The logicboard 58 includes electronic components such as, a microprocessor anddevice control logic. The logic board 58 also includes a PC Cardmotherboard connector 60A. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 the logicboard 58 includes two PC Card motherboard connectors 60A, one for optioncard slots 18A and one for option card slots 18B. However, otherembodiments may have more or less PC Card motherboard connectors 60A.

The semi-mobile desktop personal computer 10 also includes a PC Cardmotherboard 56 for each set of option card slots 18. The PC Cardmotherboard 56 includes at least one PC Card connector 52A mounted onthe top surface of the PC Card motherboard 56. The PC Card motherboard56 also includes a PC Card motherboard connector 60B mounted on the edgeof the PC Card motherboard 56 facing the PC Card motherboard connector60A on the logic board 58. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the PCCard motherboard 56 includes two parallel spaced apart PC Cardconnectors 52A mounted on the PC Card motherboard 56. However, otherembodiments may have more or less PC Card connectors 52A.

The PC-Card motherboard 56 is connected to the logic board 58 byconnecting the PC Card connector 60B mounted on the PC Card motherboard56 to the PC card connector 60A mounted on the logic board 58. When thePC Card connectors 60 are connected the PC Card motherboard 56 and thelogic board 58 are perpendicular to each other.

The PC Card 54 includes a PC Card connector 60B mounted at one end ofthe PC Card 54. As shown in FIG.15, the PC Card 54 is orientated so thatthe side of the PC Card 54 on which the PC Card connector 60A is mountedis at the lower end of the PC Card 54. The PC Card 54 is inserted in adirection parallel to the logic board 58 through an option card slot 18located on the top wall of the semi-mobile desktop personal computer 10until the PC Card connector 60B on the PC Card 54 is connected to the PCCard connector 60A on the PC Card motherboard 56. In the embodimentshown one Type III PC Card or two Type II PC Cards can be inserted inthe option card slots 18. The semi-mobile desktop personal computer 10can be easily reconfigured by adding, removing or replacing a PC Card 54in a option card slot 18, without having to open the system enclosure12.

Having described the invention, it will now become apparent to thoseskilled in the art that other embodiments incorporating its concepts maybe provided. It is felt therefore, that this invention should not belimited to the disclosed invention, but should be limited only by thespirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A computer, comprising: an elongated thin systemenclosure enclosing a microprocessor and having a front wall spaced froma back wall and a pair of side walls connecting the front wall and theback wall, the side walls being of smaller horizontal extent than thefront wall and the back wall; and a drive enclosure extending from theback wall outside the elongated thin system enclosure to providestability to the elongated thin system enclosure by engaging the surfaceon which the elongated thin system enclosure is placed for use, whereinthe elongated thin system enclosure includes an opening in the frontwall for inserting a removable media drive into the drive enclosure. 2.The computer as recited in claim 1, further comprising a drive disposedin the drive enclosure.
 3. The computer as recited in claim 2, whereinthe drive comprises a CDROM drive.
 4. The computer as recited in claim2, wherein the drive comprises a floppy disk drive.
 5. The computer asrecited in claim 2, wherein the drive comprises a hard disk drive. 6.The computer as recited in claim 2, wherein the drive enclosurecomprises a pair of drive enclosures.
 7. The computer as recited inclaim 1, wherein the drive enclosure and the elongated thin systemenclosure are integrally formed.
 8. The computer as recited in claim 1,wherein the elongated thin system enclosure is curvilinear in shape. 9.The computer as recited in claim 1, wherein the elongated thin systemenclosure has a generally rectangular shape.
 10. The computer as recitedin claim 1, wherein the elongated thin system enclosure includes agenerally vertically oriented option card.
 11. The computer as recitedin claim 1, further comprising a speaker connected to the elongated thinsystem enclosure.
 12. The computer as recited in claim 11, wherein thespeaker is connected to the elongated thin system enclosure by a hinge.13. A computer system, comprising: a primary unit comprising a processorand an elongated case, the elongated case comprising a front wall, aback wall, at least two side walls, a top wall, and a bottom wall; theelongated case having a dimension (t) defined by a distance between thefront wall and the back wall, a dimension (c) defined by a distancebetween the at least two side walls, and a dimension (h) defined by adistance between the top wall and the bottom wall; (t) being less than(c) and less than (h); the elongated case being free standing on thebottom wall; and a secondary unit extending from the back wall of theprimary unit to provide stability for the primary unit by engaging thesurface on which the primary unit is placed for use.
 14. The computersystem of claim 13 wherein the primary unit further comprises a speakerconnected to the elongated case by a hinge.
 15. The computer system asrecited in claim 14, wherein the speaker comprises a pair of speakersconnected proximate the at least two side walls.
 16. The computer systemas recited in claim 15, wherein each speaker of the pair of speakers isconnected proximate a corresponding side wall by a hinge.
 17. Thecomputer system as recited in claim 15, wherein the secondary unitcomprises a drive enclosure.
 18. The computer system as recited in claim17, further comprising a drive disposed in the drive enclosure.
 19. Thecomputer system as recited in claim 18, wherein the drive comprises aCDROM drive.
 20. The computer system as recited in claim 18, wherein thedrive comprises a floppy disk drive.
 21. The computer system as recitedin claim 18, wherein the drive comprises a hard disk drive.
 22. Thecomputer system as recited in claim 18, wherein the drive enclosurecomprises a pair of drive enclosures.
 23. The computer system as recitedin claim 14, wherein the elongated thin system enclosure is curvilinearin shape.
 24. A computer enclosure, comprising: a back wall; a frontwall; at least two side walls extending between the front wall and theback wall to establish an enclosure thickness (t); a top wall; a bottomwall, the top wall and the bottom wall extending between the at leasttwo side walls to establish an enclosure length (c); the back wall andthe front wall extending between the bottom wall and the top wall toestablish an enclosure height (h); the enclosure thickness (t) beingless than (c) and less than (h); the computer enclosure free standing onthe bottom wall; and a support extending rearwardly of the back wall,wherein the support facilitates maintenance of the computer enclosure inan upright position.
 25. The computer enclosure as recited in claim 24,wherein the support comprises a drive enclosure.
 26. The computerenclosure as recited in claim 25, further comprising a drive disposed inthe drive enclosure.
 27. The computer enclosure as recited in claim 25,wherein the top wall is configured to receive a vertically orientedoption card.
 28. The computer enclosure as recited in claim 27, furthercomprising a vertically oriented option card in the form of a PC card.